Hello all!
This is the first time I have ever joined one of these groups and we thought this was a good place to start :)
My mother in law has terminal cancer and currently has water retention in her legs and feet. Also a bloated tummy. Any ideas where I can get her adjustable comfortable shoes and joggers that provide room? Also anything else that would be beneficial for her?
My MIL has been driving but we don't think this will be happening and know that the hospital has patient transport. However, getting to hospital isnt the problem its getting home. I know as a mobile care assistant it can take ages to get home and we don't think she has the energy to sit for a few hours at hospital waiting especially if she feels like rubbish.
Also, my husbands nan is 92 and my MIL takes her shopping. We said we would take over this but we were wondering if there was any other support out there that could help us with this if for whatever we couldn't go up. We are a young family and as a carer I have to work weekends.
We are looking for guidance/ advice in comfortable clothing, personal shopping I guess and social calls.
Thank you in advance!
Hi and welcome to our community, everyone on here has real lived experience with cancer - my wife was diagnosed with Leiomyosarcoma over six years ago now and the great thing we all share is that lived experience and the "what worked for me/us".
Dealing with perhaps experience of hospital transport - often there are two options - one is ambulance transport though as you note the massive drawback with that is return to home journeys that have about the lowest of the low sense of priority. Most hospitals do have a voluntary car service where volunteers help people get to their appointments with typically some fee to cover fuel and wear and tear.
From what you say it might be helpful to talk about getting a needs assessment, and possible at the same time a carers assessment. This can be really helpful in ensuring that the right services are in place so support everyone in working together - important to for you and the people you care for as if you get ill everyone hurts.
Much of my clothes shopping I do online - there are a number of fairly simple sites that are my go to - chums and jolliman probably being my most common but I often find some useful connections via ebay - lots of smaller stores sell through there. Shoes have always been a bit of a nightmare for me even when I was young and nowdays unless otherwise needed I tend to wear a crocs style shoe.
I know how much my parents used to love a trip to the shops though and our highstreets are such a part of traditional british values, I quite often see a carer take someone out just for a coffee in the local coffee shop and help connect with normality - with covid trying to work out what normal is can be a real challenge.
Hope some ot that helps, thanks for posting as I am sure we all recognize just where you are and how somebody helped us when we arrived.
<<hugs>>
Steve
